1. Field of the Invention
The field of the invention is coin retrieval system for a coin or token operated device.
2. Description of the Prior Art
There are a large variety of coin operated devices in use. These devices all have containers where the coins accumulate. In many cases the container is of a removable type, and security against pilferage is a concern.
One particular example is the slot machine. Slot machines are a very popular form of legal gambling throughout the world. In a slot machine coins are diverted to a dump bucket located within a locked enclosure in the slot machine when a coin hopper is full. The buckets are collected at regular intervals depending on the season. When the time comes to empty the bucket an employee typically inserts an identification card into a card reader and unlocks the enclosure. The employee then manually removes the open bucket and places a paper containing the slot machine number into the open bucket. The employee then replaces an empty bucket into the empty container and locks the enclosure. The open bucket is then lifted onto a cart that is pulled by a mechanical puller. This step is then repeated until the cart is full. A full cart is delivered to a coin counting room. Each bucket is weighed on a scale and the weight is converted to a monetary value based on the weight of the particular coin. The monetary take is correlated to the slot machine based on the identifying paper which the employee placed in the cart when the full bucket was removed from the container.
The current procedure is inefficient in several ways. First, the buckets need to be harvested according to a schedule, rather than when they are nearly full. Thus sometimes a bucket may either overfill or be harvested when not nearly full. Second, the process of removing and handling the buckets is awkward and labor intensive. A bucket needs to be lifted out of the slot machine enclosure and onto a cart and then again lifted from the cart to a weigh scale. Finally, there is a security problem in that the open buckets full of money must be guarded and secured from pilferage.
The security issue with the current procedure is well recognized in the industry and results in inefficient use of labor in harvesting the drop bucket. The Nevada Gaming Control Board, which is a recognized leader in gaming control, set internal control standards for Group I and Group II licensees (Nov. 27, 1996) as follows:
Coin Drop Standards
1. A minimum of three employees (two for Group II licensees) are involved in the removal of the slot drop, at least one of whom is independent of the slot department.
2. Security is provided over the buckets removed from the slot drop cabinets prior to being transported to the count room.
3. If more than one trip is required to remove the slot drop from all the machines the filled carts of coins are either locked in the count room or secured in another equivalent manner.
There is a need for a labor efficient and secure system for retrieving coins from coin operated devices.
There is a need for an improved labor efficient system for harvesting the slot drop from slot machines.
There is a need for a secure system for harvesting the coin drop from slot machines.
The present invention is directed to a coin retrieval system for coin or token operated devices. One embodiment is directed to harvesting the slot drop from slot machines in an efficient and secure manner. In a version of the invention each slot machine is equipped with a device comprising an engagement rod pusher, with a base attached to the slot machine and one or more rods extending out from the base, and a coin drop bucket having a top cover which includes a self-closing seal. The seal includes an enclosure with an aperture extending through it and a horizontal closure plate located within the enclosure which is attached to the enclosure by springs so that the closure plate covers the aperture when the springs are relaxed and the plate can be pushed into a second position where the aperture is open when the springs are extended. The enclosure includes an end plate on the end closest to the with openings to located to accept the rods from the rod pusher. When the drop bucket is positioned in the slot machine, the cover engages the rod pusher, the rods push the closure plate away from aperture, opening the aperture for coins to flow into the coin drop bucket. When the drop bucket is removed so that the cover no longer engages the rod pusher, the closure plate springs back closing off the aperture in the cover.
The seal can be refined to include rails within the enclosure providing surfaces for the closure plate to slide back and forth. The plate can also have a slot running perpendicular to the direction of motion of the plate which is locked into place by a lock assembly with a lip which is sized to fit in the slot. The lock assembly is attached within the enclosure on springs so that it moves vertically such that the lip engages the slot and locks the closure plate in place when the cover is not engaging the rod pusher, but the lock is pushed down by the rods when the cover engages the rod pusher and the closure plate is free to move.
The coin drop bucket can also be equipped with a sliding bottom mounted on rails which can be quickly opened to empty the drop bucket. The bottom has a slot on its underside and a flap door mounted on springs which holds the sliding bottom in place.
The device can also include a detector mounted within the slot machine to detect when a drop bucket is full and report an alarm at a central location indicating that the drop bucket requires harvesting.
The system can also include a transfer cart to facilitate removal of the drop buckets from the machine. The top of the cart has a flat horizontal surface which can accept a group of drop buckets, the top surface has roller rails which allow the drop buckets to be pushed onto the cart. The top surface is mounted on a jack having two positions, a lower position at the level of the drop bucket and an upper position.
The system can also include a processing cart. The processing cart has an upper flat surface located at the level of the upper position of the transfer cart, having a turntable surrounded by two roller rails spaced to accept a drop bucket on the turntable, having a first and second position. Under the turntable is a weigh scale which can be raised into a position where it allows the drop bucket to be weighed. The processing cart also includes a station for dumping the drop bucket. This station includes a sliding plate aligned with the second position of the turntable. The sliding plate has a tongue located to engage the slot on the bottom of a drop bucket, and a stop designed to open the flap door in the drop bucket when a drop bucket is loaded on the dumping station and pushed against the stop. The sliding plate is attached to a positioner, located under the sliding plate, which will move the plate allowing a drop bucket located on the dumping station to empty into a coin container which is located under the sliding plate.
An object of the invention is to provide a system for efficient harvesting of the coin drop from coin operated machines and slot machines.
A further object of the invention is to provide a system for harvesting the coin drop from coin operated and slot machines which resists pilferage of the coins.
A further object of the invention is to provide a removable coin retrieval device for coin operated machines and slot machines which is open to receive coins when mounted in the machine and automatically locks when removed.